FOOTBALL

Tuesday

Jun 18, 2013 at 12:01 AMJun 18, 2013 at 3:00 AM

Ex-NFL star Chad Johnson released from jail

Ex-NFL star Chad Johnson released from jail

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — A contrite Chad Johnson apologized Monday for disrespecting a judge when the former NFL star slapped his attorney on the backside in court last week and was released from jail after only a week instead of 30 days.

Broward County Circuit Judge Kathleen McHugh accepted Johnson's apology and cut back his jail term for a probation violation to the seven days he had already served since the rear-swatting. Johnson, a flamboyant wide receiver formerly known as Chad Ochocinco, said in court that he'd had time to think about why his flippant attitude was wrong — especially in a domestic violence case.

"I just wanted to apologize for disrespecting the court last time," said Johnson, wearing a tan jail jumpsuit with his hands shackled at the waist. "I apologize. I did have time to reflect on the mistakes I made in this courtroom."

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — About 325 former Penn State players and coaches have signed a statement supporting the lawsuit filed by the family of former coach Joe Paterno and other former players seeking to overturn NCAA sanctions against the football program for the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Former player Brian Masella released the letter Monday in support of the lawsuit, which was also filed last month by some coaches, trustees and faculty. Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny, and former NFL quarterbacks Kerry Collins and Todd Blackledge are among the notable names who signed on to the statement.

Giants' Vogelsong to have hand re-examined today

SAN FRANCISCO — Giants right-hander Ryan Vogelsong will have his surgically repaired pitching hand re-examined today with the hope of taking another step in his recovery.

Vogelsong broke two bones in his right pinkie area and also dislocated a knuckle in the hand on a swing May 20 and underwent surgery the next day. He had five pins inserted in his hand during the procedure at Stanford, performed by orthopedist Dr. Tim McAdams.

Players, father convicted in beating death of linesman

Six youth players and the father of one of them were convicted of manslaughter Monday for kicking a volunteer linesman to death after a game, a brutal attack that shocked this soccer-loving nation.

Judges in Lelystad sentenced the 50-year-old father, identified only as El-Hasan D, to six years in prison. Five teenage players drew two-year sentences in youth detention for their roles in the December attack and another was sentenced to a year. A seventh player, age 15, was sentenced to 30 days detention for assault.

All the defendants had insisted they were innocent. They have two weeks to appeal. Their lawyers argued that the linesman, Richard Nieuwenhuizen, could have had an underlying medical condition that contributed to his death, but Dutch forensic experts said he died as a result of the beating.

The 41-year-old Nieuwenhuizen was a volunteer linesman, officiating a match in which one of his sons was playing. He initially seemed to recover and shrugged off questions about whether he would file a complaint. He later collapsed and died in hospital the following day.

Hopkins ordered to defendhis title against Kovalev

PHILADELPHIA — Three days after he called out Bernard Hopkins, Sergey Kovalev may have gotten his wish on Monday: The International Boxing Federation reportedly has ordered Hopkins to defend his light-heavyweight title against the Russian.

According to the report by Sports Illustrated, the fight negotiations must be completed by July 17 and neither boxer can take another fight.